The Sony Tablet S is on sale in the UK today, but should you care about this quirky Android tablet?
The 9.4-inch Tablet S is Sony's very first stab at making an Android tablet, and it's making an effort to distinguish itself from the horde of identical Android tablets out there.
For one, Sony has decided to make the Tablet S wedge-shaped. As well as doing an admirable job of propping doors open, Sony reckons that making one side of the tablet much thicker makes the whole thing easier to hold.
We found the Tablet S comfy enough in our hands, and it's quite light. But we'd be surprised if everyone falls in love with the folded-over look -- it doesn't have the elegant simplicity of the iPad 2, or the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1.
The Tablet S is powered by Android version 3.1, or Honeycomb to its mates. That's the tablet-specific version of Google's operating system, and it brings delights such as tabbed browsing, and a swoopy holographic interface.
Sony's also throwing some old PlayStation games at the Tablet S, though we're waiting to see how well those old games play on a touchscreen device. It didn't work particularly well on the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play.
You can pick up the Tablet S from PC World for £399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only version, while Currys has the 32GB model for £479 (a 3G version is coming later). Those are the same price as the 16GB and 32GB Wi-Fi only iPad 2, and we reckon that will be too pricey for some people.
Recently the HP TouchPad tablet was reduced to just £90, and it sold out very quickly. To us that indicates that if tablet manufacturers want to compete with the iPad, the key is to make their devices cheaper than Apple's offering.
Intrigued by the Sony Tablet S? Then check out our in-depth preview, and if you're a fan of moving pictures, we've got hands-on video for you too.
Are you keen on the Tablet S? Let us know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall.
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Comments 16
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anonymous 16 September, 2011 12:51
Very, very annoyed. Bought this on release date because of "Music Unlimited" and "Sony Reader" integration. Firing up the apps I get.........."Music unlimited for tablet"is coming Soon ...............and I can't even download the Reader app as it's "not available in my country" (Ireland). What utter crap, the selling points,for me, which allow integration with current Sony technology don't actually work.
ace9988 16 September, 2011 14:02
part of me wanted good for this tablet, but most of me knew that sony would drop the ball on this like they did with the xperia handset line-up. Pricing it to compete with much superior android devices (let alone the iPad) is a kind of shot in the foot. Not to mention the fact that they have showed up pretty late with a steep price and services that aren't ready yet as anonymous says. I'll stick to HP touchpad ;)
Mike0124 16 September, 2011 14:17
I am not an Apple user, for me the Ipad is too expensive like most apple products. If Sony et al price the same as Apple, I won't be buying their kit either - Madness!
anonymous 16 September, 2011 15:06
Too late, too expensive. The same price as an iPad?? For a version 1.0 effort over a year and a half after the original iPad?? I just can't fathom who would buy this in their right mind.
anonymous 16 September, 2011 17:36
haha..guys..i dunno why you guys keep talking that this tablet is too expensive..
yo..firstly..face the fact..this brand is aint asus..acer..etc..this is SONY..the one who make your PS1 PS2 PS3 PSP PSVITA..it's not even SONY ERICSSON..its the one and only SONY..keep it on your mind..
secondly..SONY..you know this company always do some overprice shit..but this tablet is not even overprice..it's on the right price..why..?? compare it to another SONY devices..! US$ 499 for the name of SONY..i even could not believed it when i knew it last time..
Thirdly..why this tablet is not overprice compared to the other tablet..?? here..first..they dont copy anything from ipad while the other do..secondly..compared to transformer, iconia, toshiba..do they got music store or movie store that are supported by their own company like apple with their itunes..? no..BUT..SONY HAS..! can they play PS1 games..? no..BUT SONY CAN..! DLNA..? others are bullshit..BUT SONY HAS IT..!
and finally..remember..SONY is one of the company who always take care of their product just like apple do..SONY always make accessories for their product just like they do in VAIO..so..this tablet is overprice..??? in my opinion..the others are overprice..! but this one right here..not even a bit..!
PS. I aint a SONY fanboy..i only had a ps1 ps2 ps3..im not even using vaio coz its overprice..so my opinion above is based on the fact..and please..dont always compare the other devices with apple's price coz they do overprice shit too..OMG..
pablouk1 16 September, 2011 21:14
Considering what Sony do to the software after you have bought their product...On your bike.
anonymous 16 September, 2011 21:37
Got mine today and very happy with it. It is disappointing that Music unlimited and video unlimited aren't working yet, but that doesn't really matter to me. I have been having great fun playing with it anyway
However, there are very few apps for honeycomb yet, but I am happy to be patient as more apps come out (as well as the Sony Entertainment Network service), and just use the internet and generally mess around
anonymous 17 September, 2011 14:07
gotta love the sony fanboy above..
BUT the music store currently doesnt wrk, the xperia phones are garbage and Sony want you to waive your rights to use PSN (I have a ps3 and bravia TV).
Bravia TV's arent as good as Samsungs, Xperias are worse than all other android phones and a music and film service will be provided by google across all android devices. So whats the point?
anonymous 17 September, 2011 14:18
If you Brits think it is over-priced, constantly comparing everything to apple products, blame it on your tax. It only costs US$499 in the US. And it gives you DLNA, USB, card reader plus all the other services over what's-its-name tablet. Oh, I forget, DLNA is useless because you need to have DLNA compatible products to use it.. oh yes too, you need a USB thumb drive to make the USB useful, and what the use of a card reader when you don't have a card to put it. So I will stick with that you-know-what product. As CNET says it is so simplicity design. It has nothing. And they love it. Because it does not have the useless connnection options.
anonymous 17 September, 2011 14:27
yo..sorry dawg..what you are talking about is SONY ERICSSON..not 100% SONY..remember..?? haha..
the tablets that we are talking about here are made by 100% SONY..no ERICSSON help needed..haha..
and you know what..ill never touch sony ericsson crappy shit..haha..there are plenty of phones that are better than xperia even though xperia play are playstation certified..
about the TV..that's what im saying man..SONY do overprice shit..you have to know which products of them that are overprice or not overprice..for this tablet..IMO..not even a bit..just compared it to the other android tablets..you can see the differences easily..aint you..?
and..yo..having a ps1 ps2 ps3 doesnt mean you are a fanboy..coz that's the only console that could we get at that time..particularly ps1 ps2..but i can tell you..im a apple haters..haha..
anonymous 17 September, 2011 19:36
you all need to know that son y makes top of the line products. they dont put there name on it if its crap. dont buy it if you cant afford it.you get what u pay for. does more and better than ipad 1 2 n 3 n so on.
anonymous 18 September, 2011 17:08
Ive seen it and played with it nothing specail and really quite bulky don't bother it brings nothing new for that price
anonymous 22 September, 2011 18:09
Sony have always made good looking products, but functionally pretty mediocre. Apple is Sony, but with products that actually work as well as they look. Sony Ericsson is a phone manufacturer that over promises and never deliveries (not by my experience of owning 3 of their phones over the last decade). Underpowered and flakey software. I also have a Vaio SZ. Good out of the box. But some official updates later, bu66ered. Win7 gave it some new lease of life, but all the software that came with laptop could not be retrieved. Battery failed after 3 years - £100+ for a replacement. Battery gets so hot I could fry an egg on it. So if Sony pitch a product at the same price as Apple, you can guess what I would buy - a considerably cheaper Samsung!
anonymous 3 October, 2011 21:40
I also own the new sony tab great device wasnt to happy that it doesnt play avi video format tho apart from that its nice.
anonymous 9 October, 2011 15:14
It does play avi. You just need to download the right media player. Try mobo player
Thomas Jowett 16 August, 2012 15:30
i think you are all raging abit to much at argos the price now has gone down to £250 looks a great tablet and i am looking forward to buying it after christmas when it'l be even cheaper!